CrossCurrents - William H. Macy

Actor and director William H. Macy has just released his directorial debut, "Rudderless". He and his wife, actress Felicity Huffman, will be speaking & screening the film at Paepcke Auditorium on Saturday night as part of Aspen Film's summer season.

RUDDERLESS is a poignant musical drama about the power of a parent's love. Sam (Billy Crudup) is a former high-profile advertising executive whose life has been torn apart by the tragic death of his son. Off the grid, living on a docked sailboat, he drowns his pain in alcohol. When Sam discovers a box filled with his son's demo tapes and lyrics, his own child's musical talent is a revelation for him, a grieving father who felt he'd been absent from his son's life. Communing with his deceased son's dashed dreams, Sam learns each song and eventually musters the will to play one at a local bar. When Quentin, a young musician in the audience, is captivated by the song, the unlikely duo form a rock band that becomes surprisingly popular and changes both of their lives.

A searing performance from Billy Crudup leads an exemplary cast that includes Anton Yelchin as Quentin, plus Selena Gomez, Laurence Fishburne and Felicity Huffman. Casey Twenter and Jeff Robison's potent screenplay was the launching pad for Macy's auspicious debut as a feature film director.